Toni Kroos praises Mourinho and reveals what changed for Real Madrid against Barcelona

Real Madrid fable Toni Kroos has praised Jose Mourinho for transforming his erstwhile side's attack against Barcelona, revealing the tactical adjustments that helped Los Blancos unafraid a important 2-1 El Clasico triumph astatine Camp Nou.

Madrid entered Sunday's brushwood having endured a hard tally against their biggest rivals, losing six of the erstwhile 7 Clasicos and conceding 22 goals successful those meetings.

However, Mourinho's squad produced a vastly improved show to extremity Barcelona's cleanable commencement to the La Liga play and trim the spread betwixt the clubs to conscionable 3 points.

Kylian Mbappe scored twice, with the Frenchman's 2nd extremity arriving precocious successful the contention to unafraid a triumph that revived Madrid's presumption successful the rubric race.

Despite enjoying considerably little possession than Hansi Flick's side, Madrid impressed Kroos with their willingness to play done Barcelona's unit and disrupt their opponents' attacking combinations.

The erstwhile Germany international, who spent a decennary astatine the Santiago Bernabeu earlier retiring successful 2024, believes Mourinho deserves peculiar recognition for changing the dynamic of a fixture that Barcelona had dominated successful caller seasons.

Speaking connected his Einfach mal Luppen podcast, successful comments reported by AS, Kroos highlighted the Portuguese manager's courage, Madrid's corporate strength and a astonishing antiaircraft duty involving Dean Huijsen.

Kroos praises Mourinho's tactical attack aft Clasico victory

Reflecting connected Madrid's caller struggles against Barcelona, Kroos acknowledged that helium had expected different hard day for his erstwhile club.

"Over the past 2 years, the Clasicos had been going Barca's way," the 36-year-old explained.

"But things person changed, and I person to praise Mourinho's work. They played exceptionally well, and helium acceptable them up brilliantly."

The erstwhile midfielder was peculiarly impressed by Madrid's willingness to clasp possession and physique attacks against Barcelona's assertive pressing system.

"Playing retired from the backmost against this Barca broadside deserves existent recognition due to the fact that they conflict erstwhile they don't person possession," helium added.

Kroos believes this determination to situation Barcelona alternatively than simply sorb unit represented a important departure from Madrid's performances successful caller Clasicos.

"Real Madrid and Mourinho were highly courageous astatine Camp Nou, and that was a large quality compared with caller Clasicos.

"The forwards stepped up. There were besides periods erstwhile they defended well, specified arsenic erstwhile Barca equalised. At that point, immoderate of america would person taken the draw."

Kroos suggested that Madrid had performed peculiarly good for astir 65 minutes, combining effectual antiaircraft organisation with a greater willingness to vie for possession.

One tactical item particularly caught his attention.

"I was amazed by Huijsen's marking of Fermin," Kroos admitted.

The erstwhile Madrid midfielder felt that Huijsen's adjacent attraction to the Barcelona playmaker was portion of a wider corporate attack that prevented Flick's players from uncovering their accustomed rhythm.

"Barca players specified arsenic Pedri and Raphinha looked uncomfortable and were forced into mistakes they don't usually make," helium explained.

"Madrid won astir each duel due to the fact that they were much intense. They defended arsenic a portion and enactment successful an fantabulous performance, some defensively and connected the ball."

Although Kroos inactive considers Barcelona the much accomplished squad erstwhile it comes to controlling matches, helium identified their difficulties erstwhile their pressing fails arsenic an important weakness.

"Barcelona are the amended squad successful presumption of shot due to the fact that they predominate games much than Madrid, but they conflict erstwhile their property doesn't enactment and they person to defend," helium said.

According to Kroos, Mourinho's players succeeded successful creating precisely those uncomfortable situations, subjecting Barcelona to a level of unit they seldom encounter.

Kroos makes Vinicius Junior admittance and highlights Mbappe partnership

Kroos besides discussed the lack of Vinicius Junior, who missed the brushwood done suspension.

The Brazilian winger's gait and nonstop moving could person presented Barcelona with further difficulties, peculiarly against Joao Cancelo.

"I would person liked to spot him against Cancelo, who leaves a batch of abstraction down him and could person been punished," Kroos explained.

However, the erstwhile midfielder insisted that Vinicius would besides person needed to lucifer the antiaircraft committedness shown by his teammates.

"Vini has to support similar Diomande and Bellingham did," helium added, referring to the contributions of Yan Diomande and Jude Bellingham.

Those remarks underline different facet of Mourinho's palmy approach: Madrid's attacking players were expected to lend without possession, helping the squad support its operation against Barcelona.

Kroos was arsenic enthusiastic astir Mbappe, whose treble proved decisive contempt the lack of Vinicius.

He described the 2 forwards arsenic peculiarly invaluable options for midfielders due to the fact that of their exceptional acceleration and quality to onslaught abstraction down defenders.

"Mbappe oregon Vinicius are a acquisition for midfielders. They're worthy their value successful golden due to the fact that they're 3 steps faster than defenders," helium said.

Kroos besides singled retired the knowing betwixt Mbappe and Arda Guler, whose creativity has go progressively important to Madrid's attacking play.

"Arda has a large transportation with Mbappe," helium observed.

Madrid's triumph ended Barcelona's nine-match winning commencement to La Liga and brought Mourinho's broadside backmost wrong 3 points of the leaders.

It besides interrupted a series of disappointing Clasico performances that had raised questions astir Madrid's quality to vie with Flick's team.

For Kroos, the astir encouraging improvement was not simply the result, but the mode successful which Mourinho's players secured it.

Madrid indispensable present show that their improved organisation and strength tin beryllium maintained beyond a azygous high-profile victory, opening with Sunday's league travel to Racing Santander.